Update your existing ads to expanded text ads

As of 31 January 2017, you’ll only be able to create and edit text ads using the expanded text ad format. Your existing standard text ads will continue to serve alongside expanded text ads, but you won’t be able to modify their content. You will still be able to pause and enable them. If your standard text ad was created prior to 31 January 2017 and is still awaiting approval, it will still be reviewed. We strongly encourage you to take steps to transition your standard text ads to the new expanded format.

This article will show you how to get the most out of your new ads.

Not sure how expanded text ads differ from standard text ads? Find out more

Instructions

Hover over the text ad that you want to edit and select Copy and edit from the drop-down menu next to the pencil icon. Your existing ad's text is used to populate fields in the new format, so you already have a head start in creating the newly expanded ad.

Enter a Final URL, headline text, description text and text in the optional “Path” fields. As you type, a mobile and desktop version of your ad will appear instantly in the "Ad preview".

Make the most of expanded text ads

Expanded text ads share a number of the best practices that you’re already familiar with for text ads. But with almost 50% more ad text available and an additional headline, expanded text ads provide more opportunity for you to connect with users and drive more, qualified clicks to your website.

Rethink the messaging of your ad. It can be tempting, but don’t simply add a second headline to your existing ads. Consider the entire message that you want to present, taking into account all parts of your new ad.

Take advantage of your character limits. Expanded headline fields increase the clickable space of your ads, and allow you to communicate more with someone who’s searching before they decide whether to click through to your website.

Focus on optimising your headlines. People are most likely to read the headline of your ad. When viewed on the search results page, your ad’s headline fields are combined using a hyphen, “-”. On mobile, the headline may wrap beyond the first line. Consider the different ways in which your headline may display when writing your ad to make sure that your ad is compelling and easy to read on different devices.

Use ad extensions. Including information below your ad, such as additional deep links into your website or your business location, has been shown to increase your ad’s performance. Get Started

Experiment with ad variations. AdWords tools that support experimenting with different ad text, like campaign drafts and experiments, are fully compatible with expanded text ads. We recommend trying out different variations on your expanded text ads to see which perform best for your business.